


Slow It Down

by FloodFeSTeR



Category: Fallout 3, Fallout 4, Fallout: New Vegas
Genre: (sort of) Arranged Marriage (you'll understand later), Awkward Conversations, Awkward Sexual Situations, Awkwardness, Bad Decisions, Domestic Fluff, Domestic Violence, Eventual Relationships, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Forced, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Cheating, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Implied/Referenced Sex, One Night Stands, One-Sided Attraction, Past Domestic Violence, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Triggers, Unplanned Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-01
Updated: 2016-02-07
Packaged: 2018-05-17 14:42:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,580
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5874586
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FloodFeSTeR/pseuds/FloodFeSTeR
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Its one of those stories, where the one night stand goes wrong and you know your enemies out number your allies. But when your allies are out to get you? What do you do then? What do you do when you have to leave the safety of your home to help fight a war you have no part in? That doesn't want you?</p><p>And how do you accomplish all of this while carrying the new heir of the Brotherhood?</p><p>You're gonna need more help than the Commonwealth can offer.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So this is sort of a cross over to Fallout 3 so be prepared for that, but it has nothing to do with Nevaeh (if you don't follow her story, go to my pin FloodFeSTeR on FanFiction.net and read Your Pretty Face Is Going To Hell).
> 
> So anyway. . .this isn't the major Arthur Maxson story I'm working on but I had two idea in my journal and well. . .I meshed them. So enjoy!

She was. . .worried about him.

She didn't know Maxson that well, had only known him to give orders and that he was an excellent fighter; he had offered to train her after she watched him sparring with Kells and then Danse one afternoon. She was shit in hand-to-hand combat, and today was her scheduled day but. . .he hadn't left his room in a week.

And she was worried about him.

He wasn't just her Elder, Cassandra may have had a slight crush on the man, which made it difficult to just wait out his self isolation like Ingram suggested.

" _Don't tell him I said this, but Maxson can be a big baby some times_ ," Ingram whispered around the arm of the T-60 armor they were working on. " _I've seen him sulk about not getting the last Mirelurk cake, okay? Just give him a little more time and he'll be back to that fearless reader with a stick up his ass_."

And Cassandra had giggled, like a little school girl, but she was still worried about him. The only one that knew about her feelings was Curie, and that little French spazz was all the way in Graygarden working on _'experiments'_. She didn't have anyone to worry with, it was becoming bothersome building up inside of her.

Which led her to needing to. . .get away from it all, go back to the island and try to get her mind off of things, off of him.

And Shaun was the perfect distraction.

"Come on, you pud, jump in the water!"

"B-But its irradiated!"

Cassandra rolled her eyes but the grin remained on her face as she splashed water over Dogmeat, who was content to roll around in the gently moving water with her. Shaun only shuffled at the waters edge, toes digging into the sand as he stared at her like she were a Mirelurk.

They had been at this for twenty minutes, even though it was almost entirely Shaun's idea, Cassandra was the only one to make it into the water. He didn't know how to swim, was what had started it all, and Cassandra didn't see the point in wasting several gallons of valuable pure water on a pool where a little radiation wouldn't harm him; synth or not. She couldn't even feel it, the shoreline was devoid of radiation, if her Pip-Boy sitting on a table at the waters edge had anything to say about that.

"Shaun, come on," Cassandra whined, running her fingers through the water. "Its fine! I have some Rad-Away in my waist bag if that makes you feel better. I wish I had some Rad-X but someone got too paranoid going through downtown."

"Oi! I don' wanna hear bout i'," Cait shouted from where she was helping Hancock lift a small fallen tree from the crops."Draggin me all th' way out there, could'a been poisoned!"

"I came out perfectly fine," Cassandra rolled her eyes and then smiled at Shaun again. "Come on, sweetheart, you'll be fine - trust me."

He gave her an apprehensive look but swallowed and tangled a hand in Dogmeat's wet fur, walking slowly into the water with the dog panting at his side. Cassandra adored the bond that had sprung up between the two, it had been an almost instant trust that they were all thankful for. Dogmeat was Shaun's protector, and Shaun was his match maker if the pregnant Rottweiler lying on the welcome mat of the small tool shed was any indication.

Pain hit Cassandra's chest.

She jumps when small hands gripped the insides of her elbow, her wide eyes blinking down at a shaky Shaun as he stood waist-deep in the water; Cassandra grinned.

"See," she chuckled, running a hand through his hair. "Told you everything would be fine, is your skin melting off?"

He pouted and took a step away from her, hesitant in his footing; Dogmeat paddled around him and Cassandra, tongue lolling out in the cool water. Cassandra shielded her eyes as she looked up to the sun, the warm rays making her mood brighten a little more.

The past few weeks since the Institute's destruction had been rather peaceful, if she did say so herself. Yes, she still had things to do like aiding the Minutemen in reclaiming their old posts, helping farmers, assisting Nick when he needed her help on a case, working on her own, doing her own vermin extermination in the form of raiders and a minigun; the lovely Ashmaker made her coo. She had also been busy reclaiming settlements, fortifying farms and turning them into fortresses.

She was having fun.

Her eyes drifted to the Prydwen, an odd feeling settling in her gut at the sight of it.

Radio silence for two weeks.

No one had contacted her since she gave up on getting Maxson out of his room and returned to Spectacle island. She wasn't that far, they should have at least tried to contact her; it was like being shut out by her own family.

Cassandra had fallen in easily with the Brotherhood, had come to love those people in the ranks like they were her own family. And just being basically shut out? She felt used up, unwanted and it cut more than -

"Mom! Are you paying attention to me?"

Cassandra blinked a few times and looked over at Shaun, an instant grin breaking out on her face when she saw him copying Dogmeat and paddling through the water.

"Shaun! You're swimming," she chuckled. "But, we'll have to work on your form because you can't go paddling around like a dog forever."

He pouted but it was miniscule compared to the grin that fought for its place. "I just wanna play in the water a little bit, is that okay?"

Cassandra chuckled. "Of course, kid, but stick close to the shore line, I need to go check on something real quick."

His eyes turned panicky and he scrambled to the shallow water, standing upright. "Y-You're coming back right?"

Cassandra chuckled and ruffled his damp hair as she walked past him. "Of course, goober, just have some fun or if you want, you can get out of the water and wait for me."

His eyes flickered between the edge of the sand and her face, his white teeth chewing on his bottom lip. "I-I think I'm gonna wait for you in the sand," he sulked, Dogmeat groaning behind him as he followed.

Cassandra chuckled and noisily climbed out of the water, wringing out her hair against the slight breeze that came over them. Shaun fell back into the sand and Dogmeat shook off near them, trotting after the swollen dog - they really should get around to giving her a name - that was waddling out towards him. They sniffed each others faces and then Dogmeat began to roll around and pant loudly, almost smiling but the female only wagged her tail.

"I don't know, I think I like you better wet than dry."

Cassandra rolled her eyes and smirked at Hancock, who just chuckled; she'd been so distracted lately, she had forgotten about casual flirting. With Hancock, things were so easy, he had said he didn't expect anything from her, with everything she had already done. She'd clocked a few bigots for him, built them a fortress on an island; they were safe, they were well fed, they had clean water and it had turned into an actual home with all of their friends around them.

Even Strong admitted he was happy, which was an interesting conversation, considering Cassandra didn't know how to control herself and attacked him with a hug the moment he said something.

He didn't say stuff like that anymore.

Cassandra sighed and gestured for him to follow her, which made him arch that skin over one of his eyes; like he had an eyebrow left to arch. They both cast a quick glance to Shaun, who was having a giggle fit over Dogmeat, who was trying desperately to clean Shaun's face. She led Hancock off to the other side of the tool shed, her brow furrowing once she was out of Shaun's sight.

"Now what're ya worried about," he murmured, leaning against the wall beside her.

She gestured almost violently to the Prydwen hovering in the distance. "Two weeks," she dropped her hand. "Two damn weeks and. . .nothing," she twisted her toe in the sand. "I just. . .what's going on?"

Hancock shrugged. "Beats the Hell out of me, maybe they're all on their periods," she gave him the best bitch face she could muster. "Too obvious?"

"Definitely," she sighed, looking back towards the Prydwen.

There was a quick lapse of silence between them, Cassandra chewing softly on her bottom lip. Hancock sighed after a long moment, drawing her attention to his ghoulish features. He hadn't looked so solemn in a long time, not sense they had watched Abernathy Farm get raised; just the two of them, up to thirty raiders. . .they hadn't stood a chance, so they could only watch. Cassandra had made sure that would never happen again, but it had also caused some tension between her and Maxson. He had actually had to retrieve her himself, and she had to admit, she'd gone a little nuts with building defenses, but she just. . .

She couldn't lose anymore people she cared about.

Hancock opened his mouth to speak but they heard Dogmeat barking, then Shaun screaming _"Mom!"_ and Cassandra was gone. She whipped her head around the edge of the shack, seeing Shaun standing in plain sight and staring wide-eyed at the sky. When he saw her, he ran to Cassandra, crashing into her with his arms wrapping as tight as possible around her waist.

She held a hand up to shield her eyes, heart stuttering in her chest when she saw the vertibird getting closer.

"Hancock," she snapped. "Take Shaun inside."

He didn't hesitated, and neither did Shaun, who took Hancock's hand and let the ghoul drag him off towards what he had dubbed "The Fort". Dogmeat stood at her side and Cassandra ruffled the damp hair on his head, much to the dogs delight.

Cassandra didn't want to admit the sight of that vertibird gave her the same feelings as when she first saw the Prydwen; fear, wonder, hope, excitement. It was like running on Jet without the other side effects; no nausea, no mood swings, just that fluttery, tingling feeling that had her wanting to talk mile a minute but to who, why and when was a mystery.

The vertibird touched down near the trees in the center of the island, kicking up the weak assortment of leaves the irradiated trees had produced the past few months. Cassandra raised an arm to block her face as she slowly approached the vertibird, the ground faintly trembling as a suit of power armor jumped down from the hull.

"A bathing suit? How'd you manage to scrounge one of those up?"

Cassandra rolled her eyes but smiled in relief, watching Rhys and then Haylen approaching her. "Finally got your own suit," Cassandra chuckled. "Bout damn time, you look good in it."

"If you weren't my superior, I'd be a smart ass," he snipped, but he was smirking.

Haylen rolled her eyes and embraced Cassandra, who hadn't really been expecting it but. . .

She wrapped her arms tightly around Haylen, pulling her tight and smelling the Prydwen on her; that mix of oil and energy discharge.

"Hmm, lacking in human contact are we," Haylen chuckled as she pulled away. "Living out here on an island. . .I thought you said you had friends here?"

"Uh. . .I do," Cassandra peered over her shoulder. "But two of them you may not like so. . .lets just keep this between us, alright," she shook her head at the Scribe. "Its been weeks, what happened? Did something happen to Maxson?"

"Actually," Haylen hesitated. "That's who sent us. . .to get you."

Cassandra blinked slowly. "Uh. . .okay. . .did he say why?"

Haylen shrugged. "He said it was a personal matter. . .which is concerning because Maxson isn't the type to get personal, ya know? But he said he needed you and that we were to retrieve so. . .here we are."

Cassandra shook her head and scratched the back of her hand. "Um, well, okay I guess I'll go let everyone know. . .can you uh, give me a moment?"

Haylen nodded. "Of course, take your time, we know this is a little sudden. Hell, we're just as confused as you."

"I find that hard to believe," Cassandra murmured, turning her back to them. "Just. . .one moment."

She could feel eyes burning on her from her back to her face, but Cassandra kept her head down as she gathered her Pip-Boy and her musket, trying not to sprint to the others. But, once she had climbed up both sets of stairs and was well out of Brotherhood hearing range, she looked up and the questions started. From Strong to Piper, even Cait wanted to throw her two cents in and she rarely wanted to talk about the Brotherhood but her question mirrored the others:

_"What the fuck do they want?"_

Cassandra shook her head, eyeing the walled off portion of the second floor, knowing Hancock and Shaun were tucked away inside. "Maxson sent them to get me," she shrugged. "They don't know what he wants either, just that he said its a personal matter."

"You're not seriously gonna go are you," Piper shook her head. "On just their word alone? I mean c'mon, you said they liked to trick people into stuff like this - like they did Li! What if he wants to interrogate you. . .or he knows about Shaun?"

"He would have sent guns instead of a polite request to speak to him," Cassandra ran a hand through her damp hair, shuffling towards the back room. "Just. . .let me get ready, okay? I'm sure I won't be gone long."

And with that, she roughly pushed past them all, slamming the bedroom door behind her. Hancock was sitting with Shaun on the floor, watching Shaun piece together the 10mm she had given him a couple of weeks ago. He needed to learn how to protect himself, and what better weapon to give him than the very one Cassandra had used to learn how to defend herself?

Hancock looked up as Shaun bit his tongue, adjusting the sights. "You're leaving with them," Shaun's head snapped up at Hancock's words.

Cassandra hesitated and nodded, leaning her musket against the wall. "Maxson said he wants to see me on a personal matter. . ."

"And you can't say no to him," Hancock sighed and stood, looking away as she began to shrug out of her wet suit. "So, how long ya gonna be gone this time?"

Cassandra shrugged. "I don't know, it won't be long though, I wanna finish swimming lessons."

"C-Can I come," she looked over her shoulder at Shaun; he was standing, holding his gun against his chest. "I wanna see the Prydwen up close!"

Cassandra sighed, managing to tug up the zipper of her Vault suit; a snug fit, especially after how many sweet rolls she had been gorging on lately. "Sweetie, I'd love to take you up there, but this sounds important and if I have to go off on a mission, I don't wanna have to leave you there with them, alright," she crouched down in front of him, holding onto his shoulders. "But I promise, if I have to go anywhere, you'll be the first to know, okay? I just. . .you're safer here. You can get the full tour later."

Shaun huffed but nodded, wrapping his arms tight around her neck. He never said goodbye, which she found odd, but she does remember something about how the last thing he said to the real Shaun was. . .goodbye, because he didn't know it was the last thing.

"How about whenever I get back, we head up to Salem," Cassandra cocked her head. "I'm sure its time for that little Deathclaw to hatch, and Barney has the town set up again. What do ya say?"

His eyes sparkled a little then. "Y-Yeah! Yeah, I'll get our packs together!"

Cassandra chuckled and ruffled his hair, letting him push past her; busy work, he always needed busy work. "Seriously," she looked up to Hancock. "If they send me out, I'm refusing the job, okay? I don't. . .I've done enough for them. . .I killed my son for them. I won't do another damn mission for them."

Hancock shrugged. "Imma hold you to it," he paused. "I guess I should wish you some luck?"

Cassandra chuckled, snatching up her musket. "I'm gonna need it," she mumbled, walking out the door.


	2. Chapter 2

She. . .approaching the Prydwen always gave her butterflies.

From first seeing it flying over the Commonwealth to seeing it when Danse led the escort and every mission afterwards; something about that big, beautiful bitch always made Cassandra giddy.

"Been awhile, hasn't it," Haylen smiled over the com and Cassandra nodded, her fingers tight around the minigun. "I'm glad you found your son, Cassandra, I forgo -"

"He's not my son," the shout came out bitter on her tongue. "He's just a boy with my sons name. . .its a long story, but. . .that's not the child I gave birth to."

Haylen said nothing after that and Cassandra was glad for it, she didn't want to talk to anyone but her friends about Shaun, because they knew the whole truth and were fine with it. If Haylen and them knew, no matter how tolerant she was of Danse, it could never be a secret and this Shaun would be dead.

She wouldn't lose _another_ to the Brotherhood.

Cassandra squeaked and basically straddled the minigun when the vertibird jolted, being hauled into the under carriage of the Prydwen. Kells was standing on the catwalk, which put a sick feeling into Cassandra's stomach. Rarely did he leave his little cubby under the main deck, so when she saw him outside. . .never a good thing. But she grabbed her musket and stepped off of the vertibird, giving him the traditional salute; his face seemed grim, and why was Cade there? Another being that never left his office, and also never looked so nervous. . .okay he never looked nervous at all.

"Its been too long, Sentinel," Cade spoke from behind Kells, who grunted.

Cassandra nodded softly. "Cade, I've told you a hundred times. . .after as many examinations you've done on me, I think we can do a first name thing."

Cade chuckle but Kells stepped forward, grim face. . .more grim. "There is no time to delay, Elder Maxson said to report to him the moment you touched down. Please," he side stepped Cassandra and gestured towards the door leading into the Prydwen. "He insists it is of utmost importance."

Cassandra nodded and cast Cade a quick glance before she ducked past the both of them; her fingers were shaking at her sides. She couldn't tell if she was excited to see Maxson or she was scared of what was going on. When she'd left him, they hadn't talked in so long and he had locked himself up. Was he sick? Did something happen? Did. . .did he know about Shaun?

Everything smelt like metal.

The Prydwen. . .it was still her home away from home. So many familiar faces, ones that brightened up at the sight of their last Sentinel.

She was familiar with those glances, they were the ones she gave Maxson, but she had different reasons for her glances.

Maybe Curie was right. . .maybe she was a tad obsessive.

Everything about him rung with power, from his stance to his position, to the tremble of his voice. She'd stood out immediately, wearing that bright blue Vault suit and holding a glowing musket in her free hand, peppered with Wasteland dust and grime, flakes of blood in her hair. Every chance he got, he looked down between the rows of Initiates standing at the ready and looked at her; the first flutter of butterflies in her belly.

She'd followed his orders blindly then, excluding Danse and the order of execution, but she'd never wanted to disappoint him. For the first time since she'd woken up - maybe even before that - she felt hope, she felt those queasy feelings.

She'd felt love.

He was too much for her, he was Brotherhood, he ordered her to kill her son; but he didn't know, couldn't, because she would never tell them. She just said that she had found her son, but brought home a child she never spoke of, never introduced to anyone. She kept him as guarded as her own heart, and no one had pried. . .under Maxson's orders.

'If another word on the matter is spoken to the Sentinel, I will have you working clean up duty in the ruins.'

Yes, Arthur Maxson meant the world to Cassandra, but when she stepped into the very room she met him all those months ago, and he slammed the doors behind her, Cassandra felt her stomach twist into a painful knot.

She was scared.

"M-Maxson -"

"Sit," he ordered like a she were a dog, pointing at one of the ghastly orange couches.

Cassandra let her jaw snap shut and did as he said, keeping her head down; she leaned her musket against the wall. She peered up at him from beneath her bangs, her fingers tightening on her knees. He was pacing again, like he did quite often and she had to note the extra shadows beneath his eyes, the soft growth in his beard, the top of his suit was unzipped as well.

He didn't look like her usually put together Elder.

"Maxson what's -"

"You lied to me," he snarled, whirling around and making her squeak, lean back. "Did you do it on purpose? Were you hoping to gain something?"

Cassandra sputtered, eyes as wide as possible. "Wh-What are you talking about? I've never lied to you!" Okay, that in itself was lie, but he didn't know that.

He growled - literally - and stomped towards the door, disappearing out of it. Cassandra jumped when the door slammed shut but didn't move; she was too afraid. The only time Maxson had ever gotten nearly this mad at her was when she had to deal with Danse. Even then, he hadn't got this mad, which made her tremble in slight fear. She didn't like him looking at her like that, didn't like how mad he was at her.

Of course, no one really would, but. . .

When the door flew open, she was startled, but of course not more so than she has within the last couple of minutes. Cade stepped in first, looking almost sheepish - solemn? - and Maxson was behind him, the door locked and both pairs of eyes on Cassandra.

"C-Cade," she furrowed her brow. "What's going on?"

Cade cleared his throat and pulled a file from behind his back, holding it out to her. "I would like to do more testing but. . .the tests we ran the last time you were here, I just got the chance to go over the results and they were surprising considering your medical history."

Cassandra hesitated but, under Maxson's scrutinizing gaze, she opened the crumpled folder. Her eyes flickered over the pages, her fingers tightening as she read and then re-read and then re-read again just to be sure. She looked up to Maxson and Cade, shaking her head fiercely, jaw slack.

"N-No," she said, almost firmly. "It can't be right, the name isn't right, its impossible."

Cade took the folder before she dropped it. "We can perform another test, two more if you would like, but the results have always been accurate and we have limited tests."

"We will test again," she snapped, torn between breaking down into tears or hysteria. "I'm not pregnant, its impossible - I can't have children."

"The tests do not lie," Maxson said in a disturbingly even tone, pointing at the file. "You are pregnant."

"Its impossible!" She nearly screeched. "A-After what he did!? Th-they s-said Shaun was lucky to survive. . .that I was lucky to survive," she shook her head, hung it. "And then the surgery and - I-I can't be, I just can't."

Cade looked between Maxson, to Cassandra and cleared his throat. "I will. . .give you time to process this," he paused at the door. "If you wish to do another test, come see me in the medical bay and we will perform another."

"Leave us," Maxson sighed, waving his hand.

The door clicked softly behind Cade, such a contrast to Maxson's violent gestures. She was trembling at the seats edge, hiccupping as she tried to keep from sobbing but tears were on a free fall down her face. His boots shuffled to the edge of her vision and Cassandra looked up, tears making her eyes shine and actual pain making her chest constrict hard. He was just staring at her, with that usual placid look that had hints of frustration. How could she blame him, how could she ever get mad for how mean he was being?

"I will ask one time and no more," he started slowly. "Did you lie to me?"

Cassandra shook her head, hands unstable as she grabbed his coat. "Maxson, I swear. . .I swear to you I did not know. I've been told multiple times th-that I'm no longer fertile and. . ." She dropped her hands, her jaw trembling. "Oh my God, I'm pregnant," she whispered.

She was. . .before the war, several doctors had told her due to several surgeries she had, had it have because of Nate. . .and then being frozen, Cade had assured her she couldn't get pregnant when she and Macready. . .she just couldn't, but now - she had to take another test, and even another.

She jumped when there was a weight to her right, her eyes flicking to Maxson's face but he wasn't looking at her. He had his hands clasped between his knees, an almost accepting expression on his face.

"You test with Cade once more," he murmured. "He said it could be a. . .tumor," he looked over at her. "We have the ability to test for both. . .and we will be thorough."

Cassandra bit her lip and nodded softly, staring down at the greaves in the floor. "You regret it, don't you," she murmured.

When he looked over at her, she couldn't look up because the gaze burning into the side of her face was too intense. If she looked over, she was pretty sure she'd start crying or something, maybe have a nervous breakdown? No, no she'd wait to get the final results to do that. But how could she look at him now? His first instinct was. . .to accuse her of doing this on purpose, to gain something from getting pregnant. He had to hate her, he just had to, because this was all her fault and she never ever wanted him to be mad at.

"To a fault. . .yes," she inhaled sharply between her teeth. "But not for reasons you believe, Cassandra."

She looked up shyly; why did he do that to her? How? How could he just make her feel so unlike the ruthless, raider-killing bitch she was on a regular basis?

"If its true," she shook her head softly. "Arthur, I swear I didn't do this on purpose," she paused and then spoke softly. "I. . .I wasn't lying when I said it wasn't possible. The doctors must have lied or something. . .or maybe they were wrong."

"I was not ready to be a father," he stared forward. "That was a luxury saved for later, under an arranged marriage with a crème of the crop," he looked over at Cassandra. "I will be honest. . .if it is true, I am terrified."

Her brow furrowed. "Terrified? Why?"

He sighs and stood, pacing softly in front of her. "For you, for the possible child growing inside of you," he shook his head. "The Wasteland is inhospitable for skilled warriors, protecting a child? How would we do such a thing? And if our enemies were to learn of it. . ."

"The Institute is gone," she stood. "I mean yes there are still synth out there but they're nothing -"

"I do not mean them," he sighed. "The Prydwen, she was built at Adam's Air Force Base in the Capital Wasteland, after the defeat of the Enclave. The Enclave have been the Brotherhood's biggest enemy and seems to be as easy to get rid of as a radroach infestation."

Cassandra furrowed her brow. "Are you afraid they're going to come for you?"

He sighed. "I do not know, in the Mojave there is a man only known as The Courier and we plan to march on him soon. He has an army of Securitrons at his fingertips and he was also reported to have an Enclave escort for the battle over the famous dam in those parts. We also have reports of an isolated splinter of the Brotherhood having been isolated in one of the fall-back points."

Cassandra rocked back on her heels. "Were you. . .going to tell me about this or just disappear?"

"I was trying to figure out a way to tell you," God how she loved when his eyes softened for a fraction of a second.

"Was that why you shut yourself away from me," she shook her head. "You could have just told me outright."

"I also learned of the pregnancy then," he scrubbed a hand over his face. "Stressful times."

She shook her head. "Another thing you should have told me about," she said with a bit of a bite to her words. "Arthur," she placed a hand against his elbow and looked up to his face. "Whatever happens, I want to be there. I've given the Brotherhood everything, I won't let you leave without me."

"You have a child to care for now," he paused. "And a home."

Cassandra chewed on her bottom lip. "Shaun could come with us," she paused. "And one of my companions, but I could just leave this behind for awhile. . .I think a change of scenery could do us all some good."

"Are you sure about this," Arthur furrowed his brow. "We would be on the ship for some time. . .and then some, the Mojave is new territory for my people."

Cassandra shrugged. "I say we do it, no matter the pregnancy, no matter the protests. . .like I said, I've given the Brotherhood everything, you can't leave me now."

"Are you really talking about the Brotherhood now?"

She chuckled and pushed him a little, ruffling her hair in a nervous way. "Maybe," she paled slightly. "Elder. . .I have been meaning to apologize for that night, it was very unprofessional of me. . .even though I've proven to be anything bit consistently."

"You don't say," he almost chuckled, but he wouldn't, not in front of her; he would never drop the edge. "Report to Cade as soon as possible, I will be waiting here for the results."

Cassandra's lips tightened into a thin line but she nodded and grabbed her musket. "Of course. . .Arthur."

His back laced with tension but he smirked at her back as she shut the door behind her. When he was sure it was safe, he sighed and rubbed his face, turning to the glass overlooking the city. He was on edge, walking a thin line of hysteria and dread. He was not ready, she clearly was not considering her reaction, but it would be the blessing his lineage needed; before he was swept from history in a battle. They'd defeated the Institute, but there were plenty of enemies to dig out and he always had to keep on his toes, accept he could be cut down at any moment.

Pride was the key to any fall.

And Cassandra. . .he had not meant to be so harsh, he had, had an entire repertoire of questions and motions he had mean to use but paranoia had sunk in. Could she use it to blackmail him? Use the Brotherhood as his own mother had? A piggy bank, a means to protect herself, to flaunt in front of all of the Knights and Paladins she wanted, get her rocks off before his father -

No, no Cassandra was nothing like that.

He wasn't attached to the girl; she was his Sentinel, she was a dedicated soldier, she was the first to ever sway his decisions. And she just. . .she was different. He had known that the moment he met her, and then he had read Cade's reports and felt sick to his stomachs.

Fourteen hospital visits in one month.

A miscarriage.

A c-section when she went into cardiac arrest.

She was right, she and her baby were lucky to survive.

He'd seen her scars during that night, when she undressed for him, when he coaxed some sort of confidence into her frail little frame. They attacked the freckles on her shoulders, the gangly c-section on her belly, ancient lacerations on her thighs.

She had more than physical scars, and older records had proven she was supposed to be basically sterile, from the two botched surgeries to being frozen, nothing was supposed to happen.

But, of course, something happened.

And Cade had chirped about a tumor, non-chalantly like it were nothing. Giving the body mixed signals and giving false positives. But that was what scanners were for and Maxson didn't know what to hope for.


End file.
